more on this theme     |     more from this text

Single Idea 8525

[filed under theme 5. Theory of Logic / E. Structures of Logic / 6. Relations in Logic ]

Full Idea

Because there cannot be relations without terms, in a meta-physic that makes first-order tropes the terms of all relations, relational tropes must belong to a second, derivative order.

Gist of Idea

Relations need terms, so they must be second-order entities based on first-order tropes

Source

Keith Campbell (The Metaphysic of Abstract Particulars [1981], §8)

Book Ref

'Properties', ed/tr. Mellor,D.H. /Oliver,A [OUP 1997], p.138

A Reaction

The admission that there could be a 'derivative order' may lead to trouble for trope theory. Ostrich Nominalists could say that properties themselves are derivative second-order abstractions from indivisible particulars. Russell makes them first-order.

The 14 ideas from Keith Campbell

8513 Two red cloths are separate instances of redness, because you can dye one of them blue [Campbell,K]
8514 Red could only recur in a variety of objects if it was many, which makes them particulars [Campbell,K]
8512 Abstractions come before the mind by concentrating on a part of what is presented [Campbell,K]
8515 Tropes are basic particulars, so concrete particulars are collections of co-located tropes [Campbell,K]
8518 Events are trope-sequences, in which tropes replace one another [Campbell,K]
8517 Causal conditions are particular abstract instances of properties, which makes them tropes [Campbell,K]
8516 Davidson can't explain causation entirely by events, because conditions are also involved [Campbell,K]
8519 Bundles must be unique, so the Identity of Indiscernibles is a necessity - which it isn't! [Campbell,K]
4033 Two pure spheres in non-absolute space are identical but indiscernible [Campbell,K]
8522 Tropes solve the Companionship Difficulty, since the resemblance is only between abstract particulars [Campbell,K]
8523 Tropes solve the Imperfect Community problem, as they can only resemble in one respect [Campbell,K]
8521 Nominalism has the problem that without humans nothing would resemble anything else [Campbell,K]
8524 Trope theory makes space central to reality, as tropes must have a shape and size [Campbell,K]
8525 Relations need terms, so they must be second-order entities based on first-order tropes [Campbell,K]